


Danganronpa: Paradox

by cryptidmads



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, Fangan Ronpa, God is Dead, Multi, OC Killing Game, lets do this, moving this over from tumblr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 05:41:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16907184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptidmads/pseuds/cryptidmads
Summary: Ichigo Kurosawa may seem like an ordinary teenage girl, but she has just recently been accepted to the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy as the Super High School Level Soccer Player. However, her life is about to be turned upside down when she wakes up in a place that is far from Hope’s Peak, and quickly discovers that she is not alone. Turns out, she and 15 other Hope’s Peak students have been trapped in a facility called the “Despairing Sunset Inn” by the sadistic Monomage, and have to kill each other in order to escape. Who will live? Who will die? We’ll just have to find out.





	1. PROLOGUE: AN INTRODUCTION TO DESPAIR

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I'm just here to move this fic over from Tumbr because it's currently dying lol. It's gonna take a while to move EVERYTHING, but if you want to read everything that's up right now, go here! https://danganronpa-paradox.tumblr.com/
> 
> The format will also be different here, going from sprites to script! Script format, as you may or may not know, looks a little something like this:
> 
> Character: [doing this action] I'm saying this!
> 
> Italicized dialogue is our protagonist's internal thoughts, unless it used for emphasis when someone is speaking.
> 
> Anything else will be referenced in future chapters. Thank you for reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here be the Prologue!

_Hope's Peak Academy. A school for only the best of the best of our generation._

 

_High school students from across the country dream of attending Hope's Peak. Why? Because it's a school for the elite. For celebrities. For the people who are known for a special talent or gift that they possess. And today, I'm proud to call myself one of those people._

 

_My name is **Ichigo Kurosawa.** I was hand picked by Hope's Peak Academy as the **Super High School Level Soccer Player.**_

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL SOCCER PLAYER - ICHIGO KUROSAWA**

 

_I'm best known for being the captain of the soccer team at my former high school and leading our team to victory in every single game. I'm essentially the reason why we've gone undefeated for the past few years! Two years, six months and three weeks, to be precise. Yeah, everyone thinks I'm one of those athletes who likes to gloat, and yeah, I do let my fame go to my head a bit, but I think sometimes it's okay to be proud of yourself and your skills! Well, if you don't go overboard, that is.  
_

 

 _There are essentially three types of talents at Hope's Peak: Athletics, Academics, and what I like to call Variety. I, of course, fall into the first category, but there are so many students who fall into at least one of those three, and sometimes more than one. But, as long you were a master of_ one _, as well as still a high school student, you were eligible to attend, and since I'm a master of the soccer field, I was practically a shoe-in! Or, well, a cleat-in, hehe._

 

_I remember constantly being on the edge of my seat, just waiting for the day I finally get to start my life at Hope's Peak Academy as a Super High School Level student. So many opportunities, so many new faces and familiar faces to see, and so many doors to open when it was all said and done. But, after months and months of waiting, I'm finally here..._

 

 _...or at least I thought I was. As soon as I stepped past the gates of the school, my mind suddenly blanked, I lost consciousness, and now I can't remember_ anything. _Was I tired from that game the night before? ...No, it wasn't that, it couldn't have been that. I didn't have time to think about it though, because when I woke up, I found myself somewhere that definitely wasn't Hope's Peak._

 

**AN INTRODUCTION TO DESPAIR -- PROLOGUE START!  
**

 

_.........._

 

_........_

 

_......_

 

_...._

 

_.._

 

_._

 

_...Silence. That's what I heard when my eyes flickered open and my mind tried to process what was happening. I had no clue where I was, why I was here, how I got here, or why I passed out. I stayed on the ground for a bit before staggering to my feet, and I rubbed my eyes to make sure the area around me that I was seeing was actually real._

 

_The walls were stone, the floors were hardwood, and the place smelled of… lavender? There were seats and tables scattered around, and the place overall felt like a cottage from an old TV show. However the leather furniture and glass coffee table had a more sleek, modern feel to them, which threw off that whole cottage vibe.  
_

 

 _But more important than the fact that the room had furniture was the fact that the room also had people!_ _There were three people in the room (well, three awake people anyway), and they must have heard me stirring awake because they were all looking in my direction._ _I decided to introduce myself because, hey, it's good manners, and it could show who I could trust around here._

 

_There was a boy in a sailor's outfit with shoulder length grey hair, a girl in an all black tracksuit, and a girl in a cutesy school uniform with poofy pink pigtails. The lone boy of the three wasted no time greeting me, and gave a little salute._

 

 **SAILOR BOY** : Ahoy there! Sleep well?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Um, hi there! Yeah, I did!

 

 **SAILOR BOY** : Good t'hear! I was th'first person to wake up an' I got worried about everyone, but y'all seem to be in good shape so far!!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, well, I'm alive and breathing, so if that's good shape to you, then yeah, I'm doing fine!

 

_That was... quite the Osakan accent. I had to pause for a bit to try and understand him.  
_

 

 **SAILOR BOY:** Well, that's always nice t'hear! By th'way, what's y'name, stranger?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Oh, I'm Ichigo Kurosawa, SHSL Soccer Player. And you're…?

 

 **SAILOR BOY: Nobuyuki Ise, SHSL Sailor!** Nice ta meetcha!

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL SAILOR - NOBUYUKI ISE**

 

_I really shouldn't have been too surprised. He stuck his hand out towards me, and I shook it in response._

 

 **NOBUYUKI** : So, you're a Hope's Peak student too?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah, I am. Is everyone here from Hope's Peak?

 

 **NOBUYUKI** : Everyone I've talked to so far is, yep!

 

_For a situation like this, this guy is really chipper._

 

 **ICHIGO** : So, you're the SHSL Sailor, right?

 

 **NOBUYUKI** : That's me! Captain'a the Dreamcatcher, the most daring sailboat this side'a Kanto!

 

 **ICHIGO** : _The_ Dreamcatcher?!

 

_Anyone who knew even a bit about boating, and even some who didn't, knew that ever famous name. The Dreamcatcher was a sailboat known for taking some daring voyages, like sailing across the Pacific Ocean and back twice as fast as the standard sailboat, or even sailing around the world… three times. And here I was, talking to the captain. This short, grey-haired, peach fuzz sporting kid was the captain of the famous Dreamcatcher!_

 

 **NOBUYUKI** : **[hands on hips, grinning]** You bet! You've heard'a her before, yeah?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Who hasn't? She's been the centre of a media storm for as long as I can remember!

 

 **ICHIGO** : **[sad, hand behind head]** …But, that's only what I _do_ remember. I can't remember too much right now, seeing as how I just woke up after passing out.

 

 **NOBUYUKI** : Thazzalright. Nobody knows what's goin' on. At all. But we're gonna work together t'find out! In the meantime, it was nice meeting you, Ichigo! The others might wanna meetcha too, but we'll see each other 'round, yeah?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Uh, yeah! See ya!

 

_Nobuyuki gave a little wave before turning away. He seems like a really nice guy, and given how he's the captain of a ship as famous as the Dreamcatcher, he's probably used to lots of responsibility, so I can probably trust him._

 

_There were two more people in the room. I decided to talk to the girl in the black tracksuit, because something about her told me that she looked like she had an idea of what was going on._

 

 **TRACKSUIT GIRL** : Looks like you're awake.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah, uh good... morning? Is it still morning? It was morning last I remember.

 

 **TRACKSUIT GIRL:** Hmm, no. Mid-afternoon actually, I'd say. Either way, it's good to see you up and running around.

 

 **ICHIGO** : Well, running around is a specialty of mine, hehe.

 

 **TRACKSUIT GIRL:** It is, hm? Well, it looks like we've got ourselves another athlete on our hands.

 

 **ICHIGO** : Are you an athlete too?

 

 **TRACKSUIT GIRL** : I am. My name is **Naomi Saitou** , the **Super High School Level Kickboxer**. Maybe you've heard of me before.

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL KICKBOXER - NAOMI SAITOU**

 

 _Now that I think about it, I thought she looked familiar! I'd seen her on TV! She was just as famous of a competitor as much as she was as a coach to top tier athletes from the ring, and Naomi herself is really hard to best! She's won countless under eighteen championship belts, and now that she_  is _eighteen, she's got even more competition up ahead. Heck, she's even reportedly being considered for Japan's Olympic team!_

 

 **ICHIGO** : Hey, I've seen you before! You're a pretty famous fighter, y'know?

 

 **NAOMI** : I guess I am, if an athlete of your status knows me, Ms. Kurosawa.

 

 **ICHIGO** : **[shocked, hands on face]** You know who I am?!

 

 **NAOMI** : Well, I've certainly heard your name before. You're a famous athlete, like me. Lots of people are bound to know who you are. You seem to know me, so why would I not know you?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Makes sense to me! You seem to know quite a bit!

 

 **NAOMI** : So I've been told. Though, I  _don't_ really know what we're all doing here.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well, me neither. But we'll find a way out, right?

 

 **NAOMI:** We will, just as long as we work together, like a team. You know how teams work, don't you?

 

 **ICHIGO:** I sure do!

 

_Naomi chuckled and looked back at the other people on the floor. She's an athlete, so she knows how to make the right move and when. She seems pretty trustworthy._

 

 **NAOMI:** Well, you appear to be making your rounds, so I'll leave you to it.

 

 **PIGTAILS GIRL:** Finally, I've been waiting!

 

 _The girl with the poofy pink pigtails had a cheerful singsong voice that rang through the room as she walked over to me. Now that I got a better look at her, I noticed that she was wearing a pastel and girly looking seifuku, but the top was... absolutely tattered at the bottom, and her stockings looked like they were the victim of a toddler who got their grubby little hands on a pair of scissors. Did she do that on purpose? And... was that a piercing? Or, like, three? Whatever the case, I should probably_ introduce _myself before I asked about her outfit.  
_

 

 **PIGTAILS GIRL** : Looks like you're finally up, sunshine!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, yeah, I guess I am.

 

 **PIGTAILS GIRL:** Teehee, you and the others weren't waking up so I was sent to watch over you. Saitou and Ise just came back in the room when you woke up.

 

 **ICHIGO** : Oh. How long was I out for?

 

 **PIGTAILS GIRL** :  **[fiddling with lip ring]** Hmmm… Aizawa was the last person to wake up, and that was… five hours ago? I haven't seen him since, though.

 

 **ICHIGO** : Really? Huh.

 

 **PIGTAILS GIRL** : Yeah... Oh! I forgot to introduce myself! Silly me. My name is **Yuu Sasaki** , the **SHSL Party Planner!** What's yours?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL PARTY PLANNER - YUU SASAKI**

 

 **ICHIGO:** Oh, I'm Ichigo Kurosawa, the SHSL Soccer Player. Nice to meet you!

 

 **YUU:** **[flashing peace sign]** Right back atcha, missy!

 

 **YUU:** Here, lemme show you around and introduce you to everyone! It's the least I can do while we're all stuck here.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Really? Thanks!

 

 **YUU:** No problem! Let's get going!

 

_She seemed like the most trustworthy so far. She was really nice and she was showing me around this weird place and introducing me to the other people that got stuck here with us. I thought that if I wanted to stay alive, I'd best stick with her._

 

_As strange as this whole situation was, what was stranger was the location. Leather couches and chairs accompanied by some footstools and a glass coffee table reminded me of an office building, but the hardwood floors and stone walls reminded me of a cottage in the woods. There were a few doors, but they were either blocked by people or locked._

 

_There was one door that, while locked, was embellished with a wooden carving of some sort of logo. I wasn't entirely sure what it was supposed to be, but that was the least of my worries. Yuu was waiting for me by another door._

 

 **YUU** :  **[making "come here" gesture]** Hey! What are we waiting for? C'mon! Everyone else is out here!

 

 **ICHIGO** : Y-Yeah, I'm coming!

 

_She opened the nearby door and lead me into a... hallway, it looked like._

 

 _The walls and floors in this hallway were the same as those in the lobby, and there were side tables with vases of flowers sprinkled around, but that didn't seem off to me. What_ did _seem off_ _were the doors lining the wall to my right. Each door looked similar to the ones in the lobby, but each one had a nameplate and a picture hanging on it. I walked up to one of the doors, which had a plate with my name on it, as well as a picture of… was that supposed to be me? Weird._

 

_More important than the doors were four more people standing around. The first to catch my eye was a very tall and muscular looking guy holding his arms to his chest. His hair (both on his head and on his face) was bright teal, and despite being built like a professional wrestler his outfit looked really cozy— a dress shirt and cable knit sweater vest complete with casual jeans and sneakers and a pair of red glasses on his face to top it off... was he actually a high school student?? He looked like someone's dad at first glance.  
_

 

_I decided to approach this muscular boy in the sweater vest, despite the fact that he didn't look as approachable as the other people I had met prior. He looked kinda scary… but he also looked kinda scared himself._

 

 **SWEATER VEST BOY** : …Can I help you?

 

_His voice sounded a bit shaky, like a mutter laid on top of a deep rumble. Apparently he sounds like someone's dad, too.  
_

 

 **ICHIGO** : Uh… hi there!

 

_An awkward pause._

 

 **ICHIGO** : **[scratching back of neck]** …My name's Ichigo Kurosawa… the SHSL Soccer Player. What's yours…?

 

_Another brief, awkward pause._

 

 **SWEATER VEST BOY** : **Keiji Sayamaki… SHSL Knitter…**

**  
**

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL KNITTER - KEIJI SAYAMAKI**

 

 **KEIJI:** I know, I know, laugh all you want. It's probably weird seeing a guy as buff as I am and then finding out he's a knitter…

 

_His face had tinted pink a bit. Was he embarrassed about his talent? Or his physique? Whatever the case, I decided to try and provide some comfort for him._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey, don't sweat it, it's okay! We all have hobbies, and everyone's interested in different things!

 

 **KEIJI:** Heh, I guess… It's just… I'm worried.

 

 **ICHIGO:** That's alright too! Nobody I've talked to knows where we are or why we're here or—

 

 **KEIJI:** No, it's not like that! It's just…

 

_He switched to a bit of an angrier tone. Whoops. Did I say something wrong? Please don't tell me I'm about to be a pancake only two minutes into meeting this guy!_

 

 **KEIJI:** I have a friend who goes to Hope's Peak and… I wonder if he's okay.

 

_Oh. So he's not angry at me, but worried about someone else._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Oh. Do you know if he's here?

 

 **KEIJI: [starting to tear up]** I don't, and… that's why I'm worried. Where is he? Is he okay? Is he worried about me?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Whoa, hey, d-don't cry! We'll see if your friend is here! Um, what's his name?

 

 **KEIJI:** Naomasa! His name is Naomasa.

 

 **YUU:** Oh! I remember seeing a Naomasa earlier! Does he have a fedora?

 

_A what now._

 

 **KEIJI: [face lighting up]** He does! He wears it all the damn time!

 

 **YUU:** Then I think I know where he might be!

 

 **KEIJI:** Y-You do?! That's great! I-If you see him, tell him I'm looking for him, okay?

 

 **YUU:** Can do! See you around, Sayamaki!

 

_Poor guy, he was worried sick about his friend until we found out that his friend is actually here. He seems like a really nice guy who cares for his friends, and his talent as a knitter sounds interesting too. Maybe I'll get to know him better._

 

_It was only after meeting Keiji did I get a look at the other three people in the room. A short boy with silver hair and brown suspenders. A taller girl with poofy brown hair, round glasses and a long blue skirt with matching denim jacket. And a very disinterested looking guy with purple hair off in the corner._

 

_...Probably best to talk to them in that order, starting with the short dude. I approached him, and I noticed that he... also looked pretty scared. Not like the worried scared, but like the on guard, ready to pounce kinda scared. He was shaking a bit, and his facial expression clearly said "Get me out of this place!", so I tried to approach him as calmly as possible._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, hey there. Everything alright?

 

_The boy whirled around in a split second and let out a loud, petrified yell._

 

 **SUSPENDERS BOY** : Gah! Who are you? Why are you here?! Don't hurt me!

 

 **ICHIGO: [waving hands]** Whoa, chill! I won't hurt you!

 

_Yuu put a hand on the boy's shoulder as if to reassure him._

 

 **YUU** : **[laughing]** Hey, it's alright buddy, this one's friendly. In fact if anything she's probably just as scared as you. You've got nothing to worry about!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey, I'm not scared! Not that scared anyway…

 

 **SUSPENDERS BOY:** I-It's alright. You don't have to worry about me, I just scare easily, that's all.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Nah, I should've been more careful.

 

 **SUSPENDERS BOY:** H-Hey, don't beat yourself up. You haven't met me, I haven't met you, we're in a strange place, we've probably been kidnapped, it's totally okay!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well, if you say so, haha. By the way, what's your name?

 

_...Did he just say kidnapped? I'm just gonna pretend he didn't just say kidnapped._

 

 **SUSPENDERS BOY** : **[adjusting tie]** Oh, me? My name is **Hitoshi Komatsu**. I go to Hope's Peak Academy as the **SHSL Glassblower**. Are you a Hope's Peak student too?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL GLASSBLOWER - HITOSHI KOMATSU**

 

 **ICHIGO:** I am! My name's Ichigo Kurosawa, the SHSL Soccer Player.

 

 **HITOSHI:** That's really cool! I've never been much of an athlete, so seeing people play sports gets me really inspired to try my best.

 

 **ICHIGO: [pumping fists]** That's great! Try your best and shoot for your dreams! That's my motto in life!

 

 **HITOSHI:** **[starry eyed, clasping hands]** Y-Yeah! I'll try my best to live up to that motto! It's a good motto to live by!

 

_Hitoshi seems like a good guy! Sure, he scares a bit easily, but it looks like he understands what it means to get inspired and chase after your dreams, and that's someone I can get along with!_

 

 **HITOSHI:** Well, I'm assuming you've just woken up so... have you met Sayamaki yet?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yep! Just did that, in fact!

 

 **HITOSHI: [straightening glasses]** Alright then. And have you met--

 

 **???** : Heeey! Are we doing a meet and greet over here?

 

_Another voice piped up from across the room. It was the girl in the blue skirt._

 

 **HITOSHI:** Hehe, yeah. This is—

 

 **BLUE SKIRT GIRL:** Hello there! I don't think I've seen your face before! What's your name?

 

_The eyes of this girl with big, round glasses and even bigger hair who probably spoke faster than I could run lit up as soon as she saw me. Sounded like Hitoshi was about to give her my name, but I guess she was a bit to enthusiastic to hear him.  
_

 

 **ICHIGO: [extending hand]** Uh, hey there! I'm Ichigo Kurosawa, the SHSL Soccer Player. Nice to meet you!

 

 **BLUE SKIRT GIRL** :  **[enthusiastically shaking Ichigo's hand]** Nice to meet you as well! It's always an honor meeting a famous athlete! Their stories always make for good inspiration to get the creative juices flowing!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well, I'm glad you're excited to meet me, Miss…uh…

 

 **BLUE SKIRT GIRL: [fanning self with hands]** OH I never even gave you my _name_ did I?? Please excuse me I'm a bit on edge at the moment!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Eh, no worries! It's nothing to worry about! I get this a lot, believe me.

 

 **BLUE SKIRT GIRL:** If you say so! Now, my name, ahem!

 

 **BLUE SKIRT GIRL** : **[curtsying] Hitomi Sonoda, SHSL Director** and the mastermind behind some of this century's greatest cinematic masterpieces!

 

 **SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL DIRECTOR -** **HITOMI SONODA**

 

 **ICHIGO:** No way! You're a theater icon!

 

 **HITOMI:** Aww, you're too kind, really! But yes, I do only my absolute best when it comes to directing!

 

 **ICHIGO:** I bet you do! Your movies are amazing!

 

 **YUU:** She sure _does_ her best, that's for sure! And she's not even the only SHSL student in the Sonoda family!

 

 **ICHIGO:** She isn't?

 

 **HITOMI:** **[finger to lip, thinking]** I'm not! My twin brother is an SHSL student as well! It was supposed our first day at Hope's Peak, but when we stepped past the gates we lost consciousness and woke up here! …Well, I did anyway.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey, that's how I got here too!

 

 **YUU:** That's how all of us got here! Also, Hitomi, about your brother… is his name Haruka?

 

 **HITOMI:** It is! How did you know that?

 

 **YUU:** I was talking to him earlier! No idea where he went, but he's here somewhere. We'll let him know you're up if we find him!

 

 **HITOMI:** Oh that's fantastic news! Thank you so so much!

 

 **ICHIGO:** No problem! See you around, Hitomi!

 

_You know, I never thought I'd ever hear of a pair of twins going to the same prestigious academy and ending up in the same strange place with no idea of what's going on. And Hitomi herself seemed like a really upbeat and cheery girl, so she's definitely one of the more trustworthy people here, I feel._

 

_Well, only one person left, and it's..._

 

 **YUU:** Oh boy, here we go.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Huh? Oh, him.

 

_...Despite the fact that he didn't look too friendly, I decided to approach the disinterested purple haired-boy anyway._

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY:** …What do you want?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, hey there. I'm Ichigo, the SHSL Soccer Player. Nice to meet you…?

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY: [sarcastic]** Hmph. Another fucking athlete. Sure haven't seen any of _those_ today.

 

_Oh joy, he swears._

 

 **ICHIGO:** ...Do you have something against athletes or something?

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY:** I don't have anything against athletes, it's just they're fucking EVERYWHERE here!

 

 **YUU:** Hey! Be nice to each other!

 

_Yuu's voice suddenly broke through to break up our brief scuffle._

 

 **YUU:** And you, mister, should at least introduce yourself to her!

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY:** And why the fuck should I listen to you?

 

 **YUU:** Oh, I don't know, because I can do _this_!

 

_Yuu suddenly jumped up and grabbed the boy by the ear, pulling him down to her eye level._

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY:** Ow! Jesus, fuck! Ok, I'll do it, just fucking let me go!

 

_Yuu let go of his ear and gave him the most intimidating glare she possibly could. The boy rubbed at his ear and growled under his breath before looking at me.  
_

 

 **PURPLE-HAIRED BOY: [crossing arms]** …My name's **Mitsunari Aizawa, SHSL BMX Biker,** or whatever. There, ya happy?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BMX BIKER - MITSUNARI AIZAWA**

 

 **YUU:** That's better. You need to learn to lighten up.

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Fuck off.

 

_After finishing his introduction, Mitsunari turned around and left._

 

_Now that I think about it, I think I've actually heard of him before. He's known for pulling off some crazy stunts at local bike and skate parks and has become a huge online celebrity, not to mention he's been winning some big name races ever since thirteen, even though he's not technically old enough to have a professional rank. But despite all his achievements, I never expected him to act like... that._

 

 **ICHIGO:** What's his deal?

 

 **YUU:** He's been like this ever since he woke up. I'm guessing he's just cranky after being out for so long, but maybe he's always like this.

 

_…I can only hope it was the former._

 

_Well, with those four out of the way, Yuu and I continued to wander around the strange hallway. We rounded a corner, which lead us to what I can only describe as the other half of the same hallway. More of those weird doors, except on the other side of the dividing wall this time. There wasn't really much to pay attention to, until we heard…_

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey, is that...

 

_...a saxophone?_

 

_We followed the sound until we came to an open door, which lead to not only a... laundry room?, but also another group of students, and sure enough, one of them was playing a saxophone. However, he stopped playing and looked up when he heard us enter the room._

 

_There were three other students who had gathered around to listen to Sax Guy's playing— a tall girl with long light brown hair and a red dress. A relaxed looking boy with pointed triangle shades and a red leather jacket. And a girl sitting on a box with a head of green hair and a frilly pink apron. This certainly looked like an interesting crowd._

 

_Although the other three looked like they wanted to get to know me, Sax Guy was the first to walk over and talk to me, straightening his... fedora. Wait, was this—_

 

 **SAX GUY:** Well, hello. I don't think I've seen your face yet.

 

 _Whoa that voice caught me off guard. It sounded like someone mixed rich velvet with sweet melted caramel, but it was also so_ deep _. Clearly this guy's had some sort of professional vocal training. But, I couldn't just stand there listening to it ring in my head, I had to actually introduce myself to him._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey there! Sorry if I interrupted your playing.

 

 **SAX GUY: [running thumb over saxophone buttons]** Oh, it's no problem at all! I was just about done the song anyway.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Ah, alright then. So, are you the SHSL Saxophonist or something?

 

 **SAX GUY:** Ooh, so close! I'm the **SHSL Jazz Musician, Naomasa Sakamoto.** The saxophone is the instrument I play in my band. Ever heard of the Kumamoto Quintet?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL JAZZ MUSICIAN - NAOMASA SAKAMOTO**

 

 **ICHIGO:** I have! Wait, are you one of them?

 

_If it weren't for my brother I'd have never known the name. The Kumamoto Quintet was a famous predominantly male jazz band that rose to fame after a young saxophonist joined the band in place of the old one— **wait a second.**_

 

 **NAOMASA:** You bet! I've been playing in that band since I was thirteen!

 

_Oh my god. This is the guy. This is the guy everyone fell in love with after he was introduced to the band some five or six years ago. This is the younger sibling of Kenshin Sakamoto, founder of the band! This is really him! Oh my brother would be so jealous if he found out I met this guy!_

 

 **ICHIGO: [beaming]** Wow, that's so cool!

 

 **NAOMASA: [laughing]** Is it? You're too kind, really. Music is a hobby of mine, and the band was just kinda something I grew into. I have my brother to thank for that one, hehe. Are you a fan?

 

 **ICHIGO:**  Well, my brother is a way bigger fan than I am. I think he might have a crush on your trumpet player, ehehe.

 

 **NAOMASA: [cracking up]** Hahaha!! Incredible!! I'm sure Hiro would love some more ego food, that's for sure. Tell your brother he says hi next time you see him!!

 

 **YUU:** Hehe. Hey, wait, Sakamoto. You don't happen to know a Keiji Sayamaki, do you? He's here with us, and he's really worried about you.

 

_Naomasa suddenly switched from laughing to motormouthing, and he looked like he was about to drop his saxophone._

 

 **NAOMASA:** Keiji's here too?! Omigod, I haven't seen him in forever! We've been keepin' touch via messages ever since I moved with the band to Tokyo durin' middle school. I knew he was comin' to Hope's Peak, but I had no idea he'd end up in this creepy lookin' place! He's probably worried sick 'bout me!

 

 **NAOMASA:** **[clearing throat, adjusting fedora]** Ahem... pardon my dialect.

 

 **YUU:** No worries. He's out in the hallway if you want to see him.

 

 **NAOMASA:** Thank you so much! I'll see you around!

 

 **ICHIGO:** You're welcome! Take care!

 

_And he went back to where he was when we first came in to grab his case before bagging up his saxophone and heading out the door with the instrument in tow.  
_

 

_Turns out Naomasa was just as worried about Keiji as Keiji was about Naomasa. But hey, now that they both know that their friend is here, I'm sure it'll end happily for both of them when they find each other. But for now, there were still three more people to talk to._

 

_I decided to start with the girl in the red dress, because hey, I'm a sucker for really pretty girls, what can I say. Not only that, but... was that?_

 

_...Oh my god. I knew that face anywhere._

 

 **ICHIGO:** You're… You're the real—

 

 **RED DRESS GIRL:** The real **Kotori Hanazono, SHSL Actress?** That'd be me!

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ACTRESS - KOTORI HANAZONO**

 

 **ICHIGO:** No way! You're a silver screen phenomenon!

 

 **KOTORI:** Aww, you're too nice! But I'm really nothing special. Not compared to other movie stars at least. Broadway however, is a different story! I've done way more broadway shows than I have movies!

 

 **YUU:** That's right! The movie business is only a recent development for you, isn't it?

 

 **KOTORI:** It is! Wow, you must be a fan!

 

 **YUU: [blushing]** Ehehe, what can I say? When someone is as famous as you, they're bound to have a large following!

 

 **KOTORI:** Fufufu! You've got that right!

 

 **YUU:** Heehee, yeah!

 

_I knew there were celebrities at Hope's Peak, but I never expected someone as famous as Kotori Hanazono to show up. I also didn't expect Yuu to be a huge fan of hers, but there's nothing wrong with having an idol!_

 

 **ICHIGO:** Man, Hope's Peak sure has a lot of celebrities under it's belt, huh?

 

 **YUU:** It's always been that way!! Hope's Peak Academy is place for the best of the best, it's only natural that people with a high social status would show up and around its campus!!

 

 **KOTORI:** Well said! But, you know, truth be told, Sakamoto and I are actually not the only celebrities floating around this place.

 

 **ICHIGO:** You're not?

 

 **KOTORI:** Nope! Of course, everyone here is a celebrity in their own right, but some are more well known than others. Like him for example!

 

_She gestured towards the boy in the red leather jacket, who looked up at us._

 

 **RED JACKET BOY: [flashing punk rock hand gesture]** Hey there! How's it hangin'?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Hey there!

 

_He was kinda loud, but his upbeat nature and... interesting choice in eyewear definitely outweighed that._

 

 **RED JACKET BOY:** Hey, I haven't seen your face yet! You just wake up?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah. My name's Ichigo Kurosawa, SHSL Soccer Player! What's yours?

 

 **RED JACKET BOY: Haruka Sonoda, SHSL DJ!** You can call me Haru f'short, nice t'meetcha!

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL DJ - HARUKA SONODA**

 

 **ICHIGO:** Pleasure's all mine! Um, Hanazono said I might know you...?

 

 **HARUKA:** Ah, you probably wouldn't recognize my real name, and with all the lights it can be a bit hard t'see my face, heh. Here, let's see if you know...

 

_He cleared his throat._

 

 **HARUKA: [striking**   **a** **pose]** Ladies! And! Ge-Ge-Gentlemen! Throw your hands to the sky 'cuz here comes your shooting star!

 

 **ICHIGO: [shocked, hands to face]** Oh my god you're DJ Ryusei!

 

 **HARUKA:** Haha, that's me!

 

_Oh my god! DJ Ryusei was famous for performing at the most exclusive clubs, parties and other events across the globe, and now I get the chance to meet him in person!_

 

_But, hold on a second— he said his last name was Sonoda, didn't he? That sounded familiar… could he be...?_

 

_Yuu's words suddenly formed the thought my mind was then processing._

 

 **YUU:** Hitomi's your sister, right? She's awake!

 

 **HARUKA:** She's _here_?! Big twin sis is _HERE_?! You're shittin' me!

 

 **YUU:** I ain't shittin' you, yo! She woke up a few hours ago, and she's looking for you!

 

 **HARUKA:** And I've been looking for her! Holy hell, we were at Hope's Peak, then we got knocked out, then I woke up here and somehow didn't notice her?! Damn, I really must be tired!

 

_Yuu's attempt at mimicking Haruka's speech pattern forced me to chuckle, but then my mind threw another crazy realization at me that Hitomi had mentioned earlier._

 

_Haruka and Hitomi are not only some of the most famous teenagers on the planet, they're twins! No wonder Haruka looked kinda familiar, he looked a lot like his sister! Of course, there's also the fact that he's an internationally acclaimed DJ, but my mind wasn't exactly thinking about that compared to the twin thing._

 

 **HARUKA:** Well, it was sure nice meetin' ya, but I gotta go check on the sis. See ya!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah, see you later!

 

_And out the door he went. That was everyone in the room, right?_

 

 **???** : Heeeey! Don't count me out!

 

_Apparently not._

 

_The girl with the green hair and pink apron jumped off the box she was sitting on and jogged over to me… and that's when I realized she was probably about half a foot shorter than I was. She was a plump girl with rosy cheeks and wide, almost almost comically round pink eyes, along with a head of bright green hair tied on her head by a frilly pink bow. She grinned up at me, exposing the gap between her two front teeth.  
_

 

 **APRON GIRL:** Well, hello up there! You got brought here too?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah, I did. Do you know how?

 

 **APRON GIRL:** Hmmm… no idea! But, I heard someone say we got kidnapped! Is that true?

 

 **ICHIGO:** K-Kidnapped?! I don't know what happened either, but I hope to god that's not what it is!

 

 _Okay, that time I_ couldn't _ignore the word "kidnap"._

 

 **APRON GIRL:** I sure hope so too. Being kidnapped sounds… scary.

 

_She sure was right about that._

 

 **APRON GIRL:** Hey, wait, I never asked for your name! Mine is **Midori Matsuba,** and I'm from Hope's Peak Academy as the **Super Duper Super Special Super High School Level Chocolatier!** What about you?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CHOCOLATIER - MIDORI MATSUBA**

 

_Awfully on the nose name, there._

 

 **ICHIGO:** I'm Ichigo Kurosawa, the SHSL Soccer Player! I'm pretty sure everyone here is from Hope's Peak, so that's pretty cool, huh?

 

 **MIDORI:** They are?! For real?! I thought it was just the other people in this room and you! That is really cool!

 

 **ICHIGO:** As far as I know, yeah! No idea if that's just a coincidence, but it's still pretty interesting.

 

 **MIDORI:** Yeah, that is a little bit weird. Why would they go after just Hope's Peak students? I need to think on this…

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well, I'll leave you to that then! See you around, Matsuba!

 

_She seems really nice! She is a bit naive, but I'm sure she means well. Perhaps she's just a bit dazed after waking up in this strange place, but perhaps I'll never know._

 

_Regardless, we've met everyone in the laundry room, so we waved goodbye to Kotori and Midori and headed out the door._

 

 **YUU:** Well, that's the place! Or, well, all we can get to anyway.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well, thanks for showing me around! So, now what do we do?

 

***fzzt crackle fzzt***

 

_Just then, we heard a noise from overhead, followed by a very shrill sounding voice._

 

**???: _Ahem, mic check! Mic check!_ _Attention all students of Hope's Peak Academy! Please report to the lobby for an announcement._**

 

_The voice came from a screen hanging from the ceiling of the hallway that I hadn't noticed earlier. The image was fuzzy and I couldn't see who was talking, but I figured it was something important._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Sounds like whoever that is is talking to us.

 

 **YUU: [scratching at ear]** Well, we _are_ students at Hope's Peak Academy, aren't we? We should probably go over.

 

 **ICHIGO: [nodding]** Mhmm. Let's go.

 

_And we made our way back to the lobby._

 

_Upon our arrival, we found that the four students who were knocked out when I woke up had all woken up of their own accord. Three of them were chatting with Nobuyuki and Naomi, but one guy— a chubby guy in a blue school gakuran with (eerily) matching blue hair— was inspecting one of the walls, deep in thought. He was looking at it like he's never seen stone before. I decided to talk to him to see what was going on._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, hey there! Whatcha looking at…?

 

 **GAKURAN BOY:** These walls. This stone is higher quality than any of that I've seen before. It's probably at least two decimeters thick… maybe four or five wide… if I can find a ruler, I'll be able to make some precise calculations.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Calculations? Decimeters? What are you talking about?

 

 **GAKURAN BOY:** **[adjusting glasses]** With precise calculations of things like the surface area and density of this stone, we should be able to come up with enough force to bust our way out of here.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Really?! We can get out of here?!

 

 **GAKURAN BOY:** If my estimates are accurate, then I believe so. Being the **Super High School Level Mathematician,** my calculations lead to success one way or another.

 

 **ICHIGO:** That's cool! I'm Ichigo Kurosawa, SHSL Soccer Player, so I'm not exactly the best when it comes to things like math, hehe.

 

 **GAKURAN BOY:** Hm. **Naoto Yamazaki.** …That's my name.

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL MATHEMATICIAN - NAOTO YAMAZAKI**

 

_He turned to face the wall again._

 

 **NAOTO:** So, according to the information I've been given, that makes four athletes, plus at least five people who have some decent muscle on them, which means that just over half of us should be able to work together to bust down the walls of this place. That is, if there are sixteen of us like I was told _and_ if thedescriptions I got were accurate.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Wow, your numbers sound spot on. No wonder you're an SHSL student!

 

 **NAOTO:** Why, thank you. I'm sure your skills with soccer qualify you as an SHSL student as well.

 

_While most of the people I've met specialize in athletics or creative arts, Naoto was probably the only one who specializes in an scholarly field, so he'll definitely be useful in helping us escape._

 

 **NAOTO:** Ah, but I must be keeping you. Those three just woke up, and I can't imagine you've talked to them yet, have you?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Not yet, I haven't. But it was really nice meeting you!

 

 **NAOTO:** Yes, it was nice to meet you too—

 

 **???** : Hey, you! Redhead! C'mere a sec!

 

_I whirled around. I was the only in this room with red hair, right? Looked like it._

 

 **ICHIGO:** ...Me?

 

 **???** : Yeah, don'be shy! I haven't met you yet, have I?

 

_The source of the voice was a very tall and muscular girl with orange, almost flower-shaped hair. She most notably was wearing a straw hat and a pair of gently used blue overalls with a brown tool belt on her hips. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I saw her laying on the floor when I first woke up, but seeing her now made me realize how tall and… intimidating she actually was._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh… No, you haven't! Uh, nice to see you up!

 

 **OVERALLS GIRL:** Well good morning to you too! Or is it afternoon? Anybody have the time?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Not sure I do, but Saitou said that it's around mid afternoon...? Nobody knows what's going on, let alone what time it is. Everyone else in the building was just called back here.

 

 **OVERALLS GIRL:** Is that so? Well, that would explain a lot. Like why I don't know where I am or who I'm with or where my family is.

 

_Oh god. Her words made me freeze up. Where was my family? Mom? Dad? Izaya? Where were they? Were they okay? Did they even know I was missing? Before I could keep thinking on that, the girl spoke again._

 

 **OVERALLS GIRL:** By the way, I don't think I gave you my name, did I?

 

 **ICHIGO:** N-No, you didn't. I don't think I gave you mine either.

 

_I was so shook up about the family thing that I had forgotten to introduce myself to her. Get a grip, Ichigo!_

 

 **OVERALLS GIRL:** The name's **Taiyou Yazawa,** the **Super High School Level Gardener!** What about you, Rosie?

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL GARDENER - TAIYOU YAZAWA**

 

_Again, awfully on the nose._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Ichigo Kurosawa, SHSL Soccer Player!

 

_Wait. Did she just call me Rosie? Before I could ask to confirm, she turned to Yuu, who must have came trotting over when I wasn't looking._

 

 **TAIYOU:** And how about you, Lil' Carnation? What's your name?

 

 **YUU:** Yuu Sasaki, SHSL Party Planner! Do you refer to everyone as a different flower?

 

 **TAIYOU:** Yeah, I do! I'm real bad with names, and I'm prolly gonna forget yours, so it helps me remember who's who in my head!

 

 **ICHIGO:** I've… never seen anyone do that before! That's pretty cool!

 

 **TAIYOU: [hand on hip]** Y'think so? Hehe, I've never really thought much of it but... hang on.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh, Yazawa? Did you... lose something?

 

 **TAIYOU: [frantically patting tool belt]** My tools!! Where the heck're my tools?!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Huh? Your... tools?

 

 **TAIYOU:** Yeah! I brought'em with me this mornin' and now they ain't here!

 

 **YUU:** Why did you bring your tools with you?

 

 **TAIYOU:** I figured Hope's Peak might have some kinda orientation where you have to do somethin' in order t'prove that you were the Super High School Level whatever and not some phony, so I brought some tools with me in hopes that there'd be a bush or somethin' I could show my stuff with. But now I ain't got my tools and I'm mad!

 

 **NAOTO:** You're not the only one in that boat, I'm afraid. My phone and everything else on my person from this morning have gone missing.

 

_Apparently Naoto overheard us and just decided to jump into our conversation. Normally I'd find that creepy, but this whole situation was kinda creepy, so I let it slide._

 

 **ICHIGO:** Huh. Did they just decide to take everything from us??

 

 **NAOTO:** That's what I'm led to believe. Did you guys lose anything?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Well...

 

_I checked the pockets of my shorts and the one in my shirt. Sure enough, nothing._

 

 **ICHIGO:**  Looks like I'm missing a phone and a small purse with change in it. What about you two?

 

 **YUU:** Well, my phone, my wallet, my keys, some chapstick...

 

 **TAIYOU:** My _tools_.

 

 **NAOTO:** Huh... Did you have a phone, too?

 

 **TAIYOU:** I did, but...

 

_She opened the pocket sewn to the chest of her overalls and stuck her hand in for a few seconds._

 

 **TAIYOU:**  Yeah, that's gone too.

 

 **NAOTO:** I see. Looks like they either went for anything we had that could fight back or make contact with anyone outside this building, or they did what Kurosawa said and just took everything and ran. Whatever the case, we can't exactly find out what happened to them because, well... you know why.

 

 **ICHIGO: [sigh]** Yeah.

 

_Well, I'm not sure how much that would help us in figuring out who our kidnapper was and why they took us, but I guess Naoto is a mathematician, not a cop._

 

_Whatever the case, at least Taiyou seemed like a nice girl! She was kind, energetic, and about as sunny as her namesake. She probably took wonderful care of her flowers and... the nicknames were pretty cute, haha. Maybe we'll be able to find her tools, and I'll be able to see exactly how she carries out her work.  
_

 

_Well, two newcomers down, two left to go! Homestretch!_

 

_The remaining two were a boy with curly, black hair wearing some kind of purple and white tracksuit and carrying what looked to be a baton, and a girl with a long brown ponytail and a matching burgundy outfit including a vest and pencil skirt. The girl looked to be in the middle of talking to Naomi, so I decided to talk to the boy._

 

_The boy must have seen me looking at him, because he slung the baton over his shoulder and strutted over to us. I didn't immediately recognize him, but something about the colors of his outfit looked… oddly familiar._

 

 **BATON BOY:** Well, hello there ladies and gentleman!

 

 **TAIYOU** : Hey, mornin’ Lupine!!

 

 **LUPINE?** : Morning to you too!! And hey, I don't think I know you or you.

 

 _He_ _pointed_ _to_ _me_ _and_ _Yuu_ _with his_ _baton_ _in_ _time_ _with_ _each “you”._

 

 **ICHIGO** : Well, I don’t really know you either.

 

 **LUPINE?** : Well, you will in a sec! My name is **Asahi Takamaru, SHSL Baton Twirler** and proud leader of the Purple Falcons' baton troupe!

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BATON TWIRLER - ASAHI TAKAMARU**

 

 **YUU:** Purple Falcons?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Holy crap! For real?!

 

_As far as high school cheer teams go, the Purple Falcons are the most accomplished in pretty much all of Japan! I remember playing against their soccer team a few times, which is probably why Asahi seemed so familiar to me!_

 

 **ASAHI:** That's right! Though, our [cheer captain](https://sunnyside-despair.tumblr.com/post/162815659484/prologue-003d-kyou-ryouta) is much more well known than I am, that's not to say we baton twirlers slack off, not one bit! Baton twirling is a competitive sport, after all!

 

 **YUU:** It is? I've never heard of competitive baton twirling...

 

 **ASAHI: [sigh]** Yeah, it's not the most popular thing nowadays, but it exists! I mean, I wouldn't be here if it didn't exist, would I?

 

 **ICHIGO: [pumped up]** I've seen both the baton troupe and the cheer squad during soccer games and you guys are amazing!

 

 **ASAHI:** Aw, thanks dear! Say, now that I think about it, you do look familiar after all. You wouldn't happen to be the captain of the East Woods Thunder, are you? Number 6?

 

 **ICHIGO:** I SURE AM! OH MY GOD YOU REMEMBER US?!

 

 **ASAHI:**  Oh how could I not? You've been undefeated for... how long has it been?

 

 **ICHIGO** : Two years, six months, three weeks!

 

 **YUU:** Wow, the sports community is tighter than I expected! You guys really give it your all, huh?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Heck yeah!

 

 **ASAHI:** You bet!

 

_This guy is leads a team of some of the best athletes I know of, and now he's right here in the same room as me! So many well known athletes, as well as other celebrities with all kinds of skills end up at Hope's Peak... I still haven't gotten used to how many there are!_

 

 **ASAHI:**  So, you're still making your rounds, aren't you?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah. I've still got one person left!

 

_I turned to look at the girl in the vest. Yuu took a glance the same way and her eyes lit up.  
_

 

 **YUU:** Hey, I think I’ve seen her somewhere before!

 

 **VEST GIRL:** Oh?

 

_The girl turned to face us._

 

 **VEST GIRL:** You’re the one who planned the 20th anniversary party for the Southern Star Country Club, are you not?

 

 **YUU:** I was! Your dad owns the club, right?

 

 **VEST GIRL:**...He does.

 

 **VEST GIRL: [turning to Ichigo]** And who is this you’ve got with you?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Ichigo Kurosawa, SHSL Soccer Player. Nice to meet you.

 

 **VEST GIRL:** Hm. **Kasumi**. **Billiards** **Player.**

 

**SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BILLIARDS PLAYER - KASUMI UCHIDA**

 

 **KASUMI:** Tell me, Ms. Kurosawa, do you consider yourself intelligent?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Um, well, I’m not the smartest person where I come from, but I do pretty well in school.

 

 **KASUMI: [finger to chin, thinking]** I see. Do you see yourself as ambitious?

 

 **ICHIGO:** That one I can confirm as a yes! My motto in life is "Try your best and shoot for your dreams"!

 

 **KASUMI:** Well, that’s at least good to hear. I like seeing ambition as a quality in people, it keeps my faith in humanity from demolishing itself.

 

_That’s… not exactly the most uplifting thing I’ve heard all day._

 

 **YUU:** Heehee, Kasumi here has been ruling over the pool tables ever since she was a kid, and she’s even played in tournaments across Japan - and won!

 

 **KASUMI:** And it’s all thanks to knowledge of the game, as well as the dreams I chase and the goals I set for myself. I suppose you could say that puts us in the same boat.

 

_Now that’s something I can get behind! Intelligence may not be my specialty, but I haven’t met too many out there who are more ambitious than me! Perhaps Kasumi and I can get to know each other._

 

 **KASUMI:**  And... pardon my eavesdropping, Ms. Kurosawa...

 

_Why is everyone calling me Ms. Kurosawa??_

 

 **KASUMI:**...but you said I was the last person you had to meet, so you've met all sixteen of us, correct? **  
**

 

_...Have I? Let me think..._

 

_Ichigo (that's me! Does it count if I met myself?), Nobuyuki, Naomi, Yuu... Keiji, Hitoshi, Hitomi, Mitsunari... Naomasa, Kotori, Haruka, Midori... Naoto, Taiyou, Asahi, and Kasumi. Yep, that's sixteen!!_

 

 **ICHIGO:**  Yeah, I've met everyone now! They all should be coming back to the lobby soon.

 

 **KASUMI:** Hm? Ah, because of the announcement made moments ago, yes?

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah. Hey, I think that might be some of them there!

 

_Slowly but surely, the rest of the students that I had met earlier began to pour into the lobby. The Sonoda twins immediately spotted each other and dashed across the lobby to give each other what was probably the most enthusiastic hug I’ve ever seen, but it was heartwarming to see the reunion nonetheless._

 

 **HARUKA:** Big twin sis! Hot, damn, I was lookin’ for you!

 

 **HITOMI:** And _I’ve_ been looking for _you_ , younger twin brother! You left me so so worried! I was all like--

 

 **HITOMI:** **[posing dramatically]** Where oh where has my dearest baby brother gone?? Oh, where oh where could he be???

 

 **HARUKA:** Hey, cut it out, I'm six _minutes_ younger, not six _years_!

 

_They gave each other a laugh and started chatting too fast for me to keep up with in order to catch each other up. I decided to pander over the rest of the room, and that’s when I noticed Keiji frantically looking around, before his eyes locked onto something and he ran over to it. However, it was only when he started talking did I realize what he was after._

 

 **KEIJI:** Naomasa! There you are!! It’s been forever! I hardly recognized you!

 

 **NAOMASA:** Keiji!? Is that really you!?

 

 **KEIJI: [starry-eyed, grinning]** Yes, it’s me! I know I look a little different from when you last saw me but-

 

 **NAOMASA: [smirking]** A _little_? Ya look like a completely different person! You’ve certainly gotten taller! And what'd you do to your _hair_? And all _this_?

 

_Naomasa ran his hand down Keiji’s arm, obviously referring to Keiji’s muscular build._

 

 **NAOMASA:** Where did this come from? Either you’ve been working out these past few years or puberty nuked ya, dude!

 

 **KEIJI:** Ehehe… stop! Not in front of everyone else!

 

_Naomasa chuckled and threw his arms around Keiji before burying his face in his friend’s shoulder._

 

 **NAOMASA: [clearing throat]** Sorry, I only wanted to tease you a bit! I’m just glad to see you again.

 

 _…Ok, I almost want to take back what I said about the twins. As soon as Keiji laughed and returned his friend’s hug, then I knew that_ that _was one of the most heartwarming reunions I had ever seen between two people._

 

 **TAIYOU:** Aw, now ain’t that sweet.

 

 **MITSUNARI: [arms crossed, leaning against the door frame]** …

 

 **TAIYOU:** Now, what’re you doin’ over there bein’ a buzzkill, Snapdragon?

 

 **MITSUNARI:** What’d you call me-- **HEY!**

 

_At that moment, Taiyou grabbed the sulking Mitsunari by the arm and pulled him over to the rest of the group, causing a few chuckles from some members of the crowd._

 

 **YUU:** Hey, c’mon, lighten up! Maybe you’ll learn to like some of us!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** As if! Fucking let go of me!

 

 **TAIYOU:** Hahaha! Y’need to chill out there, Feisty! Laugh a little!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Hey, I've got this thing called a name, y'know! I don't care if your memory sucks or whatever but don't call me weird shit like Snapdragon!

 

 **TAIYOU: [crossing arms]** What, so y'don't care if I call ya Feisty, then?

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Gh! Why you fuckin'-

 

 **NAOMI:** That’s enough, Aizawa! Leave Ms. Yazawa alone or I'll have to go a little less than easy on you.

 

 **MITSUNARI: [slightly embarrassed]** …Fine. I’ll stop.

 

_...Whoa. Naomi was so far the only person I’ve seen put a harness on Mitsunari like that. I’d best be careful not to act up around her._

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Hey, don’worry yourself, Naomi. I’ll take care’a him.

 

 **MITSUNARI:** I don’t fuckin' need babysitting…

 

_A couple people laughed, but then little Midori piped up to change the topic._

 

 **MIDORI:** So… why were we all called out here again?

 

 **NAOTO:** I believe it was for some sort of announcement. For what, I have no idea.

 

 **HITOSHI:** Maybe someone’s here to rescue us?

 

_Haruka and Hitomi, who had been previously chatting off to the side after reuniting with each other, shuffled towards the rest of us._

 

 **HITOMI:** Is there even anyone else here besides us?

 

 **HARUKA:** Dunno… but this whole place is giving me the damn creeps.

 

 **KASUMI: [thinking]** I suppose that just waiting it out here until this individual shows up is our only option.

 

 **ASAHI: [nervous, fiddling with baton]** Do you really think that it’s logical for whoever this is to be this late? The way they were talking over the intercom sounded like it was urgent.

 

 **NAOMASA:** It sure did. You’d think that whoever it is would be here right about now.

 

 **KOTORI:** Maybe they’ll be here soon…? …What should we do in the meantime?

 

_Keiji scratched at his beard and shuffled a bit closer to Naomasa._

 

 **KEIJI:** …Dunno.

 

_Our brief chatter was followed by a wave of silence that fell over the room. A couple people coughed or shuffled their feet every now and again. We stayed like that for a few minutes, before Hitoshi piped up with a question that most of us probably didn’t even know we had. Or well, I didn’t anyway._

 

 **HITOSHI:** Wait. If we’re really forced to stay here, then where are we gonna find food? Or sleep? Or use the bathroom?

 

_The room fell silent again. Kasumi was the first to resume the conversation.  
_

 

 **KASUMI:** That is… a very good question.

 

 **MIDORI:** You mean we don’t have food?!

 

 **KOTORI:** There’s a laundry room, but I didn’t see a kitchen or anything!

 

 **NAOTO:** Well, if their intention was to kidnap us, then starving us would probably be intentional… as much as I hate to admit it.

 

 **HARUKA:** How the fuck can you put that so bluntly?!

 

 **NAOMI: [raising voice]** Everyone, calm down! We’ll find a way out of here-

 

 **YUU:** No, we’re gonna die here! We have no food, no idea where we are, and no connection with the outside world, so we are going to fucking die!!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Fuck no, we’re not! I sure as hell ain’t, anyway! Not like this!

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Yeah, he’s right! We’re gonna work together and bust ourselves outta here!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Wh- I never said I’d be workin’ with you!!

 

 **HITOMI:** But how are _any_ of us gonna get out?! This is solid stone that’s keeping us inside!

 

 **HARUKA:** Why are we all yelling now!? _Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!_

 

_The room slowly descended into madness as we debated frantically whether or not we’d be able to escape. Everyone was talking so fast that the place felt like a press conference. I wasn’t even sure if I should say anything, or if I could say anything but everyone seemed to be right about the whole “no food in sight” thing._

 

 **TAIYOU:** Don’t worry everyone! Someone’s gonna come find us, I know they will!

 

 **ASAHI:** B-but how?! _We_ don’t even know where we are!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** They’ll find us! I am _NOT_ fucking dying here like this! I'll fuckin' bust down those doors myself if I have to!!

 

 **MIDORI:** But what about the _rest_ of us?! Will _we_ make it?!

 

 **HITOSHI:** I hate to admit but it sure doesn’t fucking look like it!!

 

 **HITOMI:** Oh god we’re not gonna make it we’re all gonna die here and nobody knows where we are and we’ve been _kidnapped and we don’t know if anyone is looking for us and-_

 

_***BANG*** _

 

_**EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!!** _

 

_…Was that what I thought it was? I turned to look, and sure enough…_

 

_…Keiji held his fist against one of the locked doors, indicating that he had hit it in order to grab our attention, and both Keiji’s whisper-like mutter and Naomasa’s normally soft, velvet tone had turned into a booming yell that shook the lobby as everyone froze and turned to face them, with looks of panic and shock still on most of their faces, including my own. Naomasa cleared his throat and the two regained their composure._

 

 **NAOMASA:** Nobody. Panic. Anymore. If we all work together, we can find a way out of here. Worrying about everything will just cause us all to fall apart.

 

_Everyone fell silent for a moment, yet again._

 

 **KOTORI:** Y-Yeah… he’s right.

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Workin' to find a solution instead of breaking apart in fear… I'm a captain, god dammit, I should’ve known that.

 

 **ASAHI:** Yeah, I'm the leader of a freakin' baton troupe, I should have too... W-We all should have…

 

 **NAOMI:** Indeed. But, for the time being, we should all take Sakamoto’s advice and try to find the basic necessities, and then start planning a way out once we find those.

 

 **MIDORI:** B-But what if we don’t find anything?

 

 **TAIYOU:** Don’t you worry your lil’ head, Lil’ Candytuft, we’ll find something.

 

 **MIDORI:** Candytuft... heehee! Okay!! Let’s work together, everybody!!

 

 **NAOMI:** That’s the spirit. All we have to do is work as a team.

 

 **ICHIGO:** Yeah! A team! That’s all we have to do!

 

 **???:** **Are** _ **you suuuuure about that?** _

 

_Our brief moments of optimism were cut off by an eerily high-pitched voice that came from behind what looked like a reception desk. Everyone immediately turned to face it, and we saw… some sort of carved stick poking up from behind it. What followed it was… definitely interesting._

 

_We all stepped back and watched as a puff of smoke appeared and turned into the silhouette of someone hovering over the reception desk, and that someone looked like a… wizard? holding some kind of wooden staff. It didn’t look too threatening, apart from its color scheme of black, white and red, and even that wasn’t too scary due to the individual wearing it._

 

 **WIZARD?:** Teamwork? Cooperation? General positive mentality?! I’m not having any of that, thanks!

 

 **MIDORI:** B-But those are good things. Why would you not want them?

 

 **WIZARD:** Shahaha! Some of us just like to watch the world burn, and that’s just how it is on this bitch of an earth!

 

 **MIDORI:** U-Ummm…

 

 **WIZARD?:** Anyway, looks like the gang's all here! One, two, skip a few, fifteen, sixteen! That’s all of you!

 

 **NAOTO:**...What kind of head count was that?

 

 **WIZARD?:** The only one that matters, kid! I already knew you were all here, so all I had to do was show up! Shahaha!!

 

 **NAOTO:** So we're being monitored too... Fantastic.

 

 **HARUKA:** Hey, uh, who the hell even are you?

 

 **HITOSHI:** Yeah, can we get a name or something?

 

 **KASUMI:** And while you're at it, do you know where we are?

 

 **WIZARD?:** Me? I’m the reason you’re asking those questions in the first place! My name is **Monomage!** And this fine establishment we're all inside of right now is the **Despairing Sunset Inn!** A quiet place of luxury like a cabin in the woods!

 

 **HITOSHI:** Despairing… Sunset… Inn?

 

 **HARUKA:** Inn?! This place feels more like a full fledged hotel to me!

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** More like a _pris_ inn, amiright?

 

 **KOTORI:** Ha! Prisinn! Good one!

 

 **MONOMAGE: [despondent]** Look, I didn’t choose the name, okay? If I did, I would’ve chosen something much more appealing!

 

 **YUU:** …I don't know about you, but it sounds like it wouldn’t be much more appealing to the rest of us.

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Well excuse you! I only take the finest care of my beloved guests, and that includes promising a safe and welcoming environment!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Uh… Sure.

 

 **NAOTO:** Erm, pardon me, but if you don’t mind me asking, how long will we be staying at this inn, exactly?

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Oh, not too long! It’ll only be… for the rest of your lives!

 

 **NAOTO:** What?!

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [gripping brim of hat]** W-We’re bein' held hostage?!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Well, _duh!_ You’ve all been kidnapped! Shouldn’t you know that people who are kidnapped and hidden away from society by their kidnappers are called hostages?! I’m shaking my head at you all!

 

_…He actually did shake his head as he said that._

 

 **TAIYOU:** So is there… really no way out of this place?

 

 **MONOMAGE:** …Okay, _maybe_ I lied. There is one way out of here, and it’s really simple!

 

 **KEIJI:** A part of me doesn’t wanna know what that is…

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Why are you so worried, young man? You nearly left a dent in that there door, surely you could leave a dent in somebody else!

 

 **KEIJI: [clutching sweater vest]** S-Somebody else?! What do you mean?!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Oopsie! I kinda gave it away there! But it’s really simple, especially for someone as big and strong as you! All you’ve gotta do is…

 

**MONOMAGE: [left eye glowing] _…murder one of your classmates!_**

 

 **NAOMASA:** WHAT?!

 

 **KEIJI:** Y-Y-You’re not serious, are you?!

 

 **MONOMAGE: [twirling staff]** I’m _dead_ serious, mister! Get it? _Dead_? Because some of you will be _**dead**_ sooner than you think?

 

 **HITOMI:** D-Don’t put it so lightly!

 

 **MIDORI: [crying]** B-But I don’t wanna kill anyone! I just wanna go home!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Too bad! My inn, my rules!

 

_Monomage’s sudden declaration of our only escape route quickly stirred the panic back up in the lobby. Surely he was joking. We didn’t actually have to kill each other… right?_

 

_Boy, do I wish that was the case. I didn't know it then, but there was going to be a lot of murder up ahead.  
_

 

_I started frantically looking around the room. I don't even know why, it must have been a reflex thing. Everyone looked sad, or scared, or hurt, or even sick. And one person in particular looked to be all of those things at once._

 

 **KEIJI:** I don't know if I can take this... The thought of hurting someone… it just… it makes me sick…

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Hope you brought a barf bag, then! Shahahahaha!

 

_At this point, Monomage was rather close to Keiji, and Keiji was understandably a little uncomfortable._

 

 **NAOMASA:** You get away from him! He doesn’t have to listen to a word you say!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** But look at him! Don’t you think he’d be the _perfect candidate_ for a killer?

 

 **KEIJI: [swatting at Monomage]** S-Stop... Stop that! Shoo! Get away! I don’t wanna kill anybody!

 

_Keiji started swatting at the wizard with his arms as if he was some two foot tall housefly. But apparently swatting wasn't doing enough work because somebody else decided to step in to add their own thoughts to this whole scenario._

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Get away from him, you floatin' fuckin' wizard!

 

_Mitsunari dashed towards Monomage, grabbed him by his robe, and smashed him into the wall, holding him by the place where the neck of a human would be._

 

 **MITSUNARI:** We’re not fucking playing your stupid-ass game! If he doesn’t want to kill anyone, then he doesn’t have to! Now let us go before I punt your ass into the sun!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Oh? Is that a threat? Well then, I guess I’ll have to make some rules in order to keep you kids in line!

 

_In a mere puff of smoke, Monomage suddenly disappeared from Mitsunari’s grasp._

 

 **MITSUNARI: [coughing]** Ack! Geh! What the- Where the hell did he go?

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Rule Number One! _**No violence against the host!**_

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Huh?

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Behind ya!

 

 **MITSUNARI: [turning around]** What the- hey wait-

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** _**AAAAAAARGH!!!** _

 

_Monomage had indeed appeared behind Mitsunari, accompanied by some sort of shard that he sent flying towards the biker, but Nobuyuki noticed just in time, and shoved Mitsunari out of the way, taking the blow in Mitsunari’s place. Nobuyuki let out an agonizing scream and fell to the floor, his hat falling off his head and landing upside down on the floor near him and the shard sticking out of his side. The entire lobby seemed to stagger back a few steps as the sailor lay there, bleeding on the floor and clutching his side.  
_

 

 **HARUKA:** Holy shit!

 

 **KOTORI: [about to faint]** Oh... Oh my word!

 

 **HITOSHI:** Th-Th-This is… this… what the fuck _is_ this?!

 

 **YUU:** What the fuck?!

 

 **HITOMI:** This is-- this is too much! _Too much!_

 

 **MITSUNARI:** Holy fuck! You- you… why the fuck’d you do that?!

 

_Nobuyuki didn't answer him at first, but eventually managed to push himself up with his free arm and look up at the boy whose life he probably just saved._

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** I didn’t want you… to get hurt! As a captain… I always look out for my crew!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** But I’m not even your-

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [weakly smiling]** At this point? You, and everyone else... Y'all are the closest I’m gonna get!

 

 **MITSUNARI:** But I don’t fuckin’ deserve this shit-

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Everyone deserves at least one chance. Er, tha's how I see it, anyway.

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** **[trying to stand]** Now don’t you worry about me, I’ll be- **OW!**

 

_Nobuyuki tried to get up, but the pain in his side prevented him from doing so properly. As Naomi jogged over to help him, Monomage let out a yawn, indicating that he was getting bored._

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Can we cut the sappy stuff already? I’m not done explaining these rules quite yet!

 

 **MONOMAGE: [clearing throat]** Rule Number Two! No vandalization of inn property! Nothing happened to that door, so you got lucky this time, mister! Shahaha!

 

 **KEIJI: [shuffling closer to the wall]** …

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Rule Number Three! Nighttime goes from 11:30pm to 7:00am! Certain areas will be shut down for maintenance, and you all are only allowed to sleep in the dorms provided! …Though, that doesn’t mean you have to sleep in your own dorm! Shahaha!

 

 **NAOMASA:**...Dorms? Is that what those doors with our faces on them in the hallway are for?

 

 **KASUMI:** I think so …and what do you mean by "maintenance?"

 

 **MONOMAGE: [cheeky]** Just some cleaning and restocking some shelves, no biggie!

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Rule Number Four! The host is not allowed to interfere with the students unless they break a rule or specifically request it. See? You all have free reign of the place as long as you be good and follow the rules, and you’d best follow those rules to a T! I heard your talk of escape earlier, Blueberry, but joke’s on you! Breaking down the walls violates my second rule, so I’d have to punish you if you did!

 

 **NAOTO:**...Did you just call me a blueberry?

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Yeah! Because you’re blue and squishy, like a blueberry!

 

_...Naoto stepped back a bit and threw his arms around his midsection as if he were trying to hide it. Poor guy must be self conscious, and Monomage certainly didn't seem to be helping._

 

 **MONOMAGE:** And that brings me to good old Rule Number Five! If you want to leave, you are allowed to murder up to two of your fellow students! But that’s not all! You then have to survive a class trial, which is where everyone that's still alive will try to figure out whodunnit, and then vote for the culprit! If you’re right, then the culprit is punished and you all continue with your miserable little lives! But if you get it wrong, then the culprit gets to go home scot free!

 

 **KOTORI:** Erm... What about the rest of us?

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Well... we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it! Oh, and one last thing before I leave you to your own devices!

 

_He removed one of the paintings from the wall, pulled out a small trunk and out the painting back. He set the trunk on the table in the middle of the lobby and opened it, revealing multiple small... objects that kinda looked like smartphones.  
_

 

 **MONOMAGE:** Each of you gets one of these here, well, devices! You need them to get into certain places, so hang on tight to them! I’ll see you around, dirtbags! Happy slaughtering!

 

_The mage let out one final cackle before disappearing back behind the reception desk and leaving us in fear for our very lives... well, most of us, anyway. One person still wasn't gonna let this stand.  
_

 

 **MITSUNARI:**  Hey!! Where the fuck d'ya think you're goin'?

 

_Mitsunari, still not giving up in his pursuit of the creature who almost killed him, bolted over to the reception desk that the mage had taken refuge behind and nearly dove over the front of it to look in, but his expression of anger turned into an expression of bewilderment upon seeing what was behind it._

 

 **MITSUNARI:**  Wh--?! Where the hell did he go?!

 

 **ICHIGO:** Huh?

 

_I, too, made my way over to the desk and peered over the front. Taiyou and Haruka weren't far behind me._

 

_And sure enough, as we looked over the desk, there was no Monomage in sight._

 

 **ICHIGO:** He's... gone.

 

 **HARUKA:** What the hell… was that thing…?

 

 **TAIYOU:** I… couldn’t tell you.

 

_Everyone seemed to agree with Taiyou’s statement as we looked away from the desk and at each other with confused expressions. By this time, Naomi had managed to get Nobuyuki onto his feet and helped him settle down on one of the leather couches, and was currently tending to his wound._

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [clenching teeth]** Damn… Look at me go, always getting myself hurt… Always doing shit without thinkin’… If I’d’ve been a bit faster, I could’ve taken’im down and- Ow! Fucker!

 

_Nobuyuki let out a string of curses under his breath as Naomi carefully removed the shard from his side before putting her hand on the wound in an effort to halt the bleeding. Guess people were right about sailor’s mouths._

 

 **NAOMI:**...That was quite the blow. It was rather heroic of you to think of others and protect Aizawa, though. Now, let's see…

 

 **NAOMI: [turning to Midori]** Ms. Matsuba. May I see that bow around your waist? I doubt that thing left us any first aid kits, and I’m not sure where in this place we’d find anything resembling a proper bandage.

 

 **MIDORI:** Hm? Oh, sure thing!

 

_Midori quickly undid the bow holding her apron in place and handed it to Naomi. Naomi took it, and carefully tied it around Nobuyuki’s waist where the wound was, causing the sailor to hiss in pain._

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [hunched over]** Hhh...

 

 **NAOMI:** …You’re gonna have to stay bedridden for a few days until this heals.

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [sigh, groaning]** Oh, god dammit.

 

 **NAOMI:** Yeah, yeah, I know.

 

 **NAOMI: [studying shard in her hand]** Now, I’m not entirely sure what _this_ is, but if that mage has more of these, then we’d best be careful and follow his rules… the basic ones anyway.

 

 **HITOMI:** What do you mean by the basic ones?

 

 **KOTORI:** She means every rule except number five. We are _not_ going to kill each other.

 

_Those words rang through my mind like some sort of omen. Not going to kill each other. Not going to kill each other. Not… going to… kill… each other… Not going to kill each other! Right?  
_

 

_..._

 

_..._

 

_...Right?_

 

_Kotori spoke again and snapped me back to reality._

 

 **KOTORI: [turning to face the hallway]** What we are going to do is explore our surroundings. It looks like the staircase at the end of the hallway is accessible now.

 

 **KASUMI: [pushing hair behind ear]** Right. But, before we do that, we should probably look at those… devices that the mage displayed earlier. He said that they’d be of use to us. What that use is, however, I am not sure.

 

 **NAOMASA:** Well, why don’t we find out?

 

_I wandered over to the open trunk sitting on the table, along with a few of the others. After shuffling through the contents, I found one of the smartphone things with my name on the screen in bright purple letters. I also grabbed the ones for Naomi and Nobuyuki (as well as Nobuyuki’s hat that had fallen off his head during the attack), and headed over to give the items to them. Apparently, the smartphone thing was called an “Electronic Student Handbook”._

 

 **ICHIGO:**  Here! I got your guys' too, and I got Ise's hat.

 

 **NAOMI:** Thank you, Ms. Kurosawa. I’m going to take him to his dorm. If you find anything that could be of use, please stop by.

 

 **ICHIGO:** No problem! I’m gonna go have a look around, but I’ll keep an eye out for something that could speed up his recovery.

 

 **NOBUYUKI: [reaching for his hat]** Ayy, give it here!

 

_I handed his hat to him and he settled it on his head before giving me a weak salute._

 

_By this time, everyone else had split off into groups and went to go investigate their dorms or what was on the other end of that staircase. Naomi helped Nobuyuki to his feet, and, surprisingly, Mitsunari of all people gave him is shoulder to lean on (despite him probably being at least 6 inches taller than the sailor)._

 

 **NOBUYUKI:** Huh? What’re y-

 

 **MITSUNARI:** …Y’saved my life. I’m only returning a favor.

 

 **NAOMI:** Thank you, Aizawa. Now, let's get him to bed and I'll take over from there.

 

_Huh. So maybe he’s got a sentimental side. Or maybe it's just an "I owe you one" kind of thing._

 

_Though, Mitsunari’s assistance to Nobuyuki wasn’t exactly the main thing on my mind. It was Monomage’s words that were still ringing in my head. Were we… really forced to kill each other? Apparently yes. Though, I didn’t know it then, but the first blood was about to come sooner than I would think. And it would be something… and someone… that I would never had expected._

 

__

**AN INTRODUCTION TO DESPAIR -- PROLOGUE END**

**16 STUDENTS REMAIN.**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you made it through the prologue!! :D Thank you so much for reading! (and thank u to bram for letting me include your character ;0)


	2. STUDENT REPORT CARDS -- PROLOGUE - CHAPTER 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These are the current status for all student report cards as of the end of the prologue! I'll be updating all report cards in between chapters, including info that Ichigo learns by talking to her classmates as well as who is and isn't alive. Of course, nobody's dead right now, but this is Danganronpa, so that's most definitely due to change, shahaha! Enjoy~!

**Student ID 074015 - Asahi Takamaru**

Name: Asahi Takamaru

Talent: Baton Twirler

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: June 15th (Gemini)

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 145 lbs

Likes: Cute Guys, Trampolines, Boba Tea

Dislikes: High Winds, Headbands, People Who Think Baton Twirling Isn’t Really A Competitive Sport

Status: ALIVE

The leader of the Purple Falcons’ baton troupe, which is said to be able to compete with even the highest level of college cheer teams and win. Asahi does his best to do everything in an orderly fashion, but still takes advantage of every opportunity he gets to show off. He’s well liked in the cheer and dance community not only for his incredible flexibility and always fresh choreography, but for the way he manages his team. He keeps them all in sync at all times without overworking them, and finding a mistake in his routines is nigh on impossible. However, despite all this, not much is known about his personal life. He tends to hide behind his popularity, and it always seems like he’s not really who he says he is.

— Asahi's a tall guy with a firm, yet kinda skinny build. He has curly black hair that’s (reluctantly) held back by a white and purple headband, and a mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth. He has a single helix piercing in his left ear. He’s wearing a purple and white tracksuit with his school logo and various other emblems and stripes all over it, as well as a small white ribbon pinned to each shoulder. Never seen without his signature silver baton, which is kept perfectly polished at all times. His voice is naturally a bit deadpan, but he tends to force it to sound more appealing.

Ichigo's Notes: This guy's one of my team's top competitors, if not our greatest rival. As competitive as we are, he's not actually that bad of a guy! He just seems a little bit full of himself, hehe. Maybe I can get to know him a little better? ...Assuming he'll let me, of course.

 

**Student ID 074011 - Haruka Sonoda**

Name: Haruka Sonoda

Talent: DJ

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: October 7th (Libra)

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 155 lbs

Likes: Comfy Clothes, Soft Drinks, Glowsticks

Dislikes: Fire, Being Alone, Tight Spaces

Status: ALIVE

“ _Ladies! And! Ge-Ge-Gentlemen! Throw your hands to the sky 'cuz here comes your shooting star!_ ” You’ve probably heard that call before at least once in your life, and that call belongs to the one and only Haruka Sonoda, better known as the legendary DJ Ryusei, international celebrity and in high demand for only the highest end events. Larger (and very much louder) than life, this guy just oozes positivity and is all about living life to the fullest and doing whatever makes you happy. Truly the life of any party, he puts every ounce of effort into putting on a show, and his original songs have topped charts, while his remixes have been heard at clubs worldwide. Out of everyone in his class, he’s one of the few that’s considered to be famous on a worldwide scale, but despite his popularity and outgoing demeanor, he does have his fair share of insecurities.

— Average height, curvy, and a bit chubby just like his twin sister, though with wider hips and a sharper jaw. His brown hair is styled with a surprising amount of product, and it’s mostly kept back in a ponytail with one chunk near his face swept upwards. He wears his signature pointed black sunglasses that completely conceal his eyes and most of the freckles on his face. He has a double helix piercing in both ears, as well as black studs. He wears a grey t-shirt with neon pink stripes underneath a red leather jacket, as well as blue jeans that seem to hug his figure a bit and dark red sneakers. He wears a black belt with a red and blue chain hanging off of it. His voice can be kinda loud and annoying, but he has a very casual tone most of the time.

Ichigo's Notes: The legendary DJ Ryusei, he's world class without a doubt! I shouldn't be as surprised as I was that he ended up at the academy, let alone here, and he's a really nice guy, but this thing mentions insecurities... so I'm a bit worried.

 

**Student ID 074007 - Hitomi Sonoda**

Name: Hitomi Sonoda

Talent: Director

Age: 18

Gender: Trans Female (She/Her)

Birthday: October 7th (Libra)

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 156 lbs

Likes: Movie Premieres, Long Skirts, Caramel

Dislikes: Disorder, Bad Special Effects, Coffee

Status: ALIVE

Meet Hitomi Sonoda, a relatively new yet insanely popular director who, despite only making six movies, is responsible for multiple cinematic masterpieces and the top box office bestsellers for the past few years. She originally came into the spotlight with her first and greatest flick, _The Girl Made From Silver,_ a movie about an android with the desire to become a human girl that has been praised to no end for its suspense, sci-fi elements, and romance between its two female leads. She says she can pick up inspiration from anything, whether it be something she’s eating, a conversation she overheard, the weather that day, something she saw someone wearing, or literally anything else. She’s already won awards for her writing and casting, and her boundless enthusiasm and dedication to doing nothing but her best has made her a fan favourite among casual watchers and film critics alike.

— A curvy girl who's a bit tall and also kinda chubby, much like her brother. She has a round, freckled face, tanned skin and brown eyes behind round glasses. She has a head of thick, fluffy brown hair which stops just below her shoulder blades. She wears small silver hoops in her ears. She wears a white collared shirt with a blue necktie, and a jean jacket with a red inside. On the left side of the jacket are a few pins of characters from her movies. She also wears a long blue skirt that almost reaches the floor, and she wears blue mary janes on her feet. She talks very fast and her voice is mid tone, but it gets high pitched and squeaky when she gets excited or scared.

Ichigo's Notes: This girl's energy is downright contagious, but I like energetic people, so I'm surely not complaining! I noticed she started talking about stories the second she knew my title... though I really shouldn't have expected much less from the real Super High School Level Director herself, ehehe.

 

**Student ID 074006 - Hitoshi Komatsu**

Name: Hitoshi Komatsu

Talent: Glassblower

Age: 17

Gender: Trans Male (He/Him)

Birthday: April 23rd (Taurus)

Height: 4’10”

Weight: 99 lbs

Likes: Stained Glass, Flavored Chapstick, Geometry

Dislikes: Sudden Loud Noises, Lots Of People Talking At Once, Milk

Status: ALIVE

A hard working young man and one of the most celebrated employees of Gift of Glass, a company that sells small trinkets and statues entirely hand blown and made from glass. Hitoshi in particular is known for his superior attention to detail and his gentle yet precise hands when it comes to his craft. He’s been celebrated by his family, friends, and coworkers for putting every ounce of effort and detail into everything he creates, whether it be a tiny figurine or a larger glass statue. When asked about how he does what he does so well, he claims to be able to put a little piece of himself into everything he makes, and that gifting his feelings to other people can make both him and his customers happy. His positive outlook on life and stellar work ethic has made him very popular among adults and college-age students, despite him being the youngest in his entire class.

— A short, slim boy with a round face and pointed chin. His skin is very pale. His eyes are a faint silver, and he wears round glasses. His lips are coated in a fruity flavored chapstick, and thus look a bit glossy. His hair is grey and short, though he has two ahoges that sprout out of the top of his head like a helicopter blade. He wears a neat white dress shirt with a (rather large) red tie, and brown shorts with suspenders and yellow buttons. He wears white and red knee-high socks and chunky red sneakers on his feet. His voice isn’t particularly remarkable, but it tends to crack when he’s nervous or angry.

Ichigo's Notes: This is the first SHSL on this list that I don't actually recognize in the same way as the others before him... but that doesn't change the fact that he earned his title just like the rest of us! He's a good guy, and he must be good at what he does if he's here, so he seems like somebody to trust. I'd like to learn a bit more about his talent, though!

 

**Student ID 074001 - Ichigo Kurosawa**

Name: Ichigo Kurosawa

Talent: Soccer Player

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: April 9th (Aries)

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 134 lbs

Likes: Teamwork, Dandelions, Strawberries

Dislikes: Sore Losers, Uncooperative People, Mosquitos

Status: ALIVE

Two years, six months, three weeks. That’s the length of time since the East Woods Thunder’s soccer team’s last defeat, and it’s all thanks to team captain Ichigo Kurosawa. Ichigo and her girls are the spitting image of giving it your all and working together. Not only is their teamwork practically flawless, but their athletic abilities (aka the other thing that makes them good at soccer) are incredibly top notch, and that’s never been more true than with Ichigo herself. She’s fast, she kicks hard, her reflexes are nearly unmatched — it’s no wonder she’s nearly always center forward, and also why other teams are almost too scared to face her. Or perhaps that’s because she, as a team captain, is also a pretty good strategist too. Working her brains almost as much as her brawn, Ichigo is never not busy with her team. She’s not bothered by it though — she loves her girls with all her heart, and only wants the best for them, even if that means sacrificing her hours of sleep and her grades a little bit for their sake.

— A girl of average height with an athletic build. She doesn’t directly train for building muscle, but her legs are rather strong from her running practically everywhere she goes. She has a bit of a peachy complexion and pink eyes. Her hair is shoulder length and bright red, and there’s a section at the top that just won’t stay down with the rest. There’s also two small locks that dangle down over her forehead. She’s wearing a green soccer shirt with a white collar. There’s a yellow stripe going across the shirt, and a pocket on the left side with her former school’s logo. She has two red wristbands, one on each arm. Said arms also have some light cuts and scratches on them. She wears black shorts with white stripes going down the side. On her feet are white knee high socks and black soccer cleats. Her voice is pretty average for a teenage girl, but it’s also packed with enthusiasm, even when she’s feeling down. She also yells a lot.

Ichigo's Notes: It's me! The one and only captain of East Woods! Top of the world, that's where we're headed! I remember getting my acceptance letter in the mail and I _immediately_ rushed to tell my girls. They were just as excited as me, hehe. And now, after months of waiting, I'm here! ...Well, I should be "here" as in here at the academy, but instead I'm "here" as in here in an inn, trapped in a killing game in the middle of nowhere. Sucks to be me, I guess...?

 

** Student ID 074016 - Kasumi Uchida **

Name: Kasumi Uchida

Talent: Billiards Player

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: November 27th (Sagittarius)

Height: 5’3”

Weight: 119 lbs

Likes: Intelligence, Ambition, Piano Music

Dislikes: Incompetence, Bitter Foods, Bad Jokes

Status: ALIVE

An intelligent and snooty girl from a wealthy family, and also the heir to the prestigious country club known as Southern Star. Kasumi has grown up around some of Tokyo’s smartest and most talented billiards players, and she proves this whenever she takes to the tables herself. Said to have near perfect accuracy and a flawless win record, she’s won countless tournaments across Japan, and she credits her skills to nothing but her quick wit and boundless ambition. She values intelligence and ambition as qualities in people, and has a tendency to put herself and others like her on a pedestal above those she sees as incompetent, which tends to lead to her underestimating people.

— A short girl with a curvy figure. She has a round face with a big nose, and sharp eyebrows that almost connect with each other. There’s a single mole on the back of her neck. She has long brown hair tied in a ponytail that falls just past her hips, and two chunks of it fall in front of her face. In her ears are dangly ruby earrings. She’s wearing a burgundy vest over a white dress shirt that has a lace pattern at the bottom, and a matching burgundy pencil skirt. On her feet she wears white stockings and burgundy loafers with heels that add an inch to her height. Her voice is very high, aloof and almost nasally, and it often trails off while she’s speaking.

Ichigo's Notes: I'd be wrong if I said that she doesn't seem a little bit uptight, but she doesn't seem to dislike me... She said she likes ambition and intelligence as qualities in people, and I'm not very smart compared to her, but she apparently thinks my ambition is good? She doesn't seem to be a bad person, but I've got a feeling that she won't get along with everyone...

 

**Student ID 074005 - Keiji Sayamaki**

Name: Keiji Sayamaki

Talent: Knitter

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: August 5th (Leo)

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 209 lbs

Likes: Cats, Fleece, Teal

Dislikes: Losing His Glasses, Catching Colds, Moths

Status: ALIVE

The youngest member of a small group of knitters from Kumamoto. Dedicated to his work and known for his intricate patterns and details he puts into everything he creates, he runs an online store where his works are in hot demand. You’d think he would’ve been scouted by Hope’s Peak for this specific reason, but no — he was actually brought in for being the youngest of the group of knitters that yarnbombed an entire park in the dead of night for a local art event, and the finished sight made headlines worldwide. Despite his escapades, Keiji is actually very humble and shy, and gets flustered very easily. A gentle soul who knows how to get serious when need be, he’s also known to be quite the workaholic, as well as a bit of a hopeless romantic.

— Keiji is a very tall and muscular young man with a slightly tanned complexion. His hair, though it naturally falls just above his shoulders, has been styled into an odd, side swept style that he keeps in place with a ton of hair gel. Said hair has also been dyed a bright teal. He has blue eyes behind red glasses, and he has a squared jawline hidden by a thick beard that he’s dyed to match his hair (for some strange reason). He’s dressed in smart casual — a dress shirt with a red tie underneath a blue cable knit sweater vest, khaki pants and brown loafers. A brown leather belt rests on his hips. His voice is very deep and quiet, and he often mumbles to himself and stutters a lot. He naturally speaks in Kumamoto dialect, though with how quiet he is it’s a bit hard to tell.

Ichigo's Notes: Oh my god this guy is a giant sweetheart. I initially thought he was a bit scary because of how big he was, but he's actually one the nicest people in the entire inn! He's close to his friends, he knows how to have fun, and... hopeless romantic? I wonder what that's all about...

 

**Student ID 074010 - Kotori Hanazono**

Name: Kotori Hanazono

Talent: Actress

Age: 19

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: February 11th (Aquarius)

Height: 5’9.5”

Weight: 151 lbs

Likes: Spotlights, Apple Pie, Designer Fashion

Dislikes: Grapefruit, Bad Rumours, Tripping Over Her Dress

Status: ALIVE

Many have probably had their first encounter with Kotori “Songbird” Hanazono on the silver screen, but believe it or not, she’s actually far more well known for her work on stage rather than on screen. She’s been the leading lady in countless musicals and plays, and every single one has received raving reviews, and she has single handedly managed to put smaller, lesser known theatres on the map, giving them more publicity and making them famous for some of their other works as well. Between her stellar singing voice, her ability to slip perfectly into character and her ever so recognizable smile, it’s hard to say what her fans love the most about her. All we know is that thanks to her recent transfer to the big screen as the love interest in _The Girl Made From Silver,_ her career is only going to get bigger and better from here on out.

— A tall girl with long legs and a heart shaped face. She has long, light brown hair that goes to about her hips and parts down the middle. She has kind brown eyes, and her lips are coated with a fresh red lipstick. She wears dangly pearl earrings in her ears. Around her shoulders is a tan shawl with a striped pattern held together by a fastener with a ruby on it. She also wears long white gloves on her arms, and she wears a long red dress that almost reaches the floor. On her feet is a pair of white heels that adds two inches to her height. Her voice is very sweet and singsong-y, and she often exaggerates it.

Ichigo's Notes: It really is the real Kotori Hanazono!! I remember seeing her debut film in theaters with my girls after winning a tournament and I absolutely fell in love, and now she's here! In the same building as me! I think she might be even prettier in real life than she is on screen... I really wanna get to know her!!

**Student ID 074012 - Midori Matsuba**

Name: Midori Matsuba

Talent: Chocolatier

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: July 14th (Cancer)

Height: 4’9”

Weight: 127 lbs

Likes: Happy People, Sprinkles, Pop Music

Dislikes: Sad People, Licorice, Being Too Short to Reach Things

Status: ALIVE

The head chef of Mega Matsuba Confectionaries, a sweet shop and bakery that came out of seemingly nowhere. However, despite speculation regarding the company’s origin, you can’t say that Midori doesn’t know how to do her job. Every single thing she makes has been described as absolutely delectable, delightful, delicious, and every other “D” word used to describe amazing food. She subscribes to the “love and happiness is the secret ingredient” philosophy, and customers have said that they can feel that love oozing out of every bite, and that they feel instantly happier after eating just one chocolate. Regardless of where she could have come from, it seems that Midori and her confectionary talent aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

— A short, plump girl with a tanned complexion, rosy cheeks, wide pink eyes, and a small gap between her two front teeth. She has bright green hair that curls at the ends, and it’s tied on her head in a high ponytail with a frilly pink bow. She’s wearing a blue shirt with poofy short sleeves and a pair of blue jeans underneath a frilly pink apron. Said apron is held around her waist with a pink ribbon tied in a bow at the back, and the logo for her shop is stitched onto the apron’s bottom left. She has a pair of green sneakers on her feet. Her voice is very high pitched and cutesy, though at times it sounds like she’s straining it.

Ichigo's Notes: Of all the people I expected to find at Hope's Peak (and, by extension, in this inn with me), Midori was definitely one of the last ones. I've only ever heard gossip of Mega Matsuba, but I never thought it was a real thing. Midori sure as heck seems real, but, for some reason, my brain's telling me there's something a bit off about her... I wonder why that is?

 

**Student ID 074008 - Mitsunari Aizawa**

Name: Mitsunari Aizawa

Talent: BMX Biker

Age: 17

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: January 12th (Capricorn)

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 166 lbs

Likes: His Family, Rock Music, Warm Blankets

Dislikes: Blood, Sharp Objects, The Press

Status: ALIVE

The Lavender Lightning. That’s the nickname given to Mitsunari Aizawa, who brought himself into the spotlight via the internet by posting videos of his biking stunts online. He’s pulled off some daring feats at local skate parks, on competition level ramps, and everywhere else in between, and he’s particularly known for being the youngest person ever to pull off a double backflip down a set of stairs. And tricks aren’t all he’s got, he’s also an avid racer, too. He’s won first in multiple high profile races despite not being old enough to have a professional rank, and he’s noted to have donated most of his prize money to charity. On a personal level, though, Mitsunari is actually pretty foul mouthed and a bit judgemental, but he’s far from a delinquent. He believes only in fair fights for both parties, despising people who steal and use someone’s own property against them, and is really close with and protective of his family.

— A tall guy with a toned, athletic build, and particularly strong legs. His skin is a mid-brown, and has a somewhat square face with a strong jawline. His hair is dyed a light purple, and he seems to have a permanent case of helmet hair. His eyes match his hair color. He wears a skin tight sleeveless shirt made of spandex, and it’s a purplish-blue with reddish stripes going across it. Overtop this is a light purple jacket. It has intentionally been left unbuttoned and the sleeves are rolled up. He wears baggy blue jeans and red sneakers that are caked in dirt. He has kind of a high voice, which he masks with a gruff and casual tone, though it gets loud and cracks a lot when he’s angry.

Ichigo's Notes: When I first met this guy, he was... kinda rude, to put it lightly. He didn't seem to care, like, at all. But, after reading through this and seeing his reaction to Nobuyuki saving him... he doesn't seem as bad as he did earlier. Maybe he's just mad at Monomage, or mad at being kidnapped, or... mad at something else entirely.

 

**Student ID 074009 - Naomasa Sakamoto**

Name: Naomasa Sakamoto

Talent: Jazz Musician

Age: 19

Gender: Demiboy (He/Him or They/Them)

Birthday: March 18th (Pisces)

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 194 lbs

Likes: Performing for Others, Scented Candles, Rain

Dislikes: Being Interrupted, Rodents, Spicy Food

Status: ALIVE

The saxophonist of the Kumamoto Quintet, a predominantly male jazz group popular with teenagers and the elderly. Naomasa in particular is known amongst the band’s fanbase for his charm and good looks, as well as his suave demeanor and his smooth, deep voice that many have described as “heaven in your ears”. Ever since he joined the band at the young age of 13 thanks to the founder (aka his older brother), he’s been a key player in helping the band’s popularity skyrocket amongst the general public, and many have praised him for skills both on the saxophone and on the microphone. Naomasa sees and treats the people closest to him as family, and he cares deeply for his bandmates and his friends. Though, despite what all that may tell you, he does have a tendency to get very upset at people should they rub him the wrong way, even to the point where people have described him as downright terrifying.

— A tall and chubby boy with a fair complexion. His face is heart shaped and he has soft, dark brown eyes. There is a mole under his right eye, and there’s also a chance he’s wearing eyeliner. His hair is a golden blonde and is tied back in a tight bun, though it’s roughly hip length when not tied back. A black fedora with a white stripe rests on top of his head. He wears classic silver studs in his ears. He’s dressed in a very stylish looking black waistcoat over a shirt and tie with matching black dress pants and shoes. The waistcoat splits down the middle and flares out at the back. His voice is incredibly deep and soothing, and while he typically speaks in a smooth, almost sensual tone, said tone is put on deliberately, and he naturally speaks in a Kumamoto dialect.

Ichigo's Notes: Oh, my brother is going to be sooooo jealous. Once he starts going on about this guy and his band, he will not shut up at all. ...Thankfully it's a good thing that Naomasa's a good guy with a good band behind him, hah. He's good with his sax and he knows how to talk the talk, but I'm kinda waiting to see if we get to hear him sing. ...And not just so I can rub _that_ in my brother's face, too, hehe.

 

**Student ID 074003 - Naomi Saitou**

Name: Naomi Saitou

Talent: Kickboxer

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: September 5th (Virgo)

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 139 lbs

Likes: Helping People, Popcorn, Satin

Dislikes: Recklessness, Onions, Geology

Status: ALIVE

Equal parts coach and competitor, Naomi Saitou knows her way around the ring. Multiple time champion of several under eighteen competitions across the continent, her speed, agility, and power are nigh unmatched by even some of the most experienced. Many have sought her out to study her techniques, and she has thus become a personal trainer and coach to several top tier athletes on top of competing. She helps her students focus less on their strengths, but more on their weaknesses, and helps them improve on those so that they can be prepared for any situation. Her students have described her as like a mother teaching their child, and her younger ones in particular admire the air of confidence and elegance she presents herself with. She loves hearing about the reasons that her students started to compete, and the motivations that they use to drive themselves with, but seems to avoid the topic of her own motivations altogether.

— A dark skinned girl with an impressive athletic build. Fitting of the Super High School Level Kickboxer, she has particularly strong legs and arms. She has short, dark hair in a bob style that sweeps up at the ends, and there are two locks of it that frame her face. Said face is oval shaped, and she has kind brown eyes and full lips. She’s dressed in a black tracksuit with white stripes going down the chest, legs, and arms. The kanji for her surname is stitched on the back of the jacket in white, along with the number twenty-three. She has white sneakers with black soles. Her voice is very sweet and mellow, though it can be quite stern when she’s being serious.

Ichigo's Notes: Naomi is definitely someone I, and many others, look up to. We may both be SHSL students, but I feel like she's already done way more than me. She's been across the continent fighting professionals, and I've only ever been doing high school soccer. I know I sound like I'm putting myself down here, but it's one of my biggest dreams to get on the same level as her. It says here she likes helping people, so maybe she can give me some pointers for aiming for the big leagues?

 

**Student ID 074013 - Naoto Yamazaki**

Name: Naoto Yamazaki

Talent: Mathematician

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: October 30th (Scorpio)

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 233 lbs

Likes: Calculus, Green Tea, Granola Bars

Dislikes: Crowds, Cheaters, Headaches

Status: ALIVE

A young man with a genius IQ and understanding of all things numerical, Naoto has been besting some of Japan’s best mathematical elites ever since his teenage years. Naoto can mentally calculate the most tedious and difficult of equations sometimes in mere seconds, and has even helped to advance some branches in theoretical mathematics as well, most notably mathematical physics. Now, despite what all of this may tell you, he’s actually a very humble and helpful guy who has just a bit of an ego. He enjoys using his knowledge to help out his fellow students and is generally pleasant, but once he slips far enough into his calculations it’s a bit difficult to get him back out again.

— A tall and overweight young man with brown skin and soft blue hair. Said hair has been dyed, and while it’s naturally a little wavy he keeps it in place with a lot of hairspray. A pair of grey square-framed glasses rest on a face with plump cheeks and a round nose. His eyes are a medium blue. He’s wearing his former school’s uniform— a dull blue gakuran, but it’s adorned with a few darker blue patches on the shoulders and down the legs, as well as golden buttons. On his feet are a pair of short black boots. His voice is soft and a bit flat, almost monotone, but has the tendency to get a little shaky.

Ichigo's Notes: Naoto is the only one of us with a talent related to academics. While people like Kasumi and Naomi and Hitoshi are all really smart on top of their talents, Naoto's intelligence is the whole reason he's here in the first place. He doesn't make a big spectacle out of it, though (at least not all the time according to this thing). A humble, down to earth genius... I can dig that!

 

**Student ID 074002 - Nobuyuki Ise**

Name: Nobuyuki Ise

Talent: Sailor

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Male (He/Him)

Birthday: August 13th (Leo)

Height: 5’3”

Weight: 121 lbs

Likes: The Ocean Breeze, Freedom, Foot Races

Dislikes: Sitting Still, Squids, Hair Ties

Status: INJURED

A boy who brings the salty air of the ocean with him wherever he goes. A boy who practically lives his life at sea and adores the freedom it brings. Yes, Nobuyuki Ise, captain of the beloved sailboat known as The Dreamcatcher, is known by many as one of Kanto’s crown jewels of the sea. A well respected captain with expert leadership skills and a faithful crew, Nobuyuki and the rest of said crew are known as a daring bunch. The Dreamcatcher is one of the fastest, taking multiple worldwide voyages in what feels like the blink of an eye, and brings with it an air of adventure admired by explorers and boat fanatics across the country. When asked about his motivation, Nobuyuki says he does it all in pursuit of freedom, as he believes he has a personal debt to pay so he can be truly free. But nobody knows what that personal debt is, and he won’t say anything about it to anyone — not interviewers, fans, or even his own crew.

— A short boy with a stocky build. He has short, wavy grey hair that falls just past his shoulders, and shiny blue eyes. He also has a layer of peach fuzz on his face. His prized captain’s cap sits upon his head, hiding the small chunk of hair that always seems to stick up at the top. He’s dressed in casual work attire — a typical white sailor outfit with light blue detailing that almost borders on periwinkle. There’s a gold pin with his surname on it pinned to the left side of his chest. On his feet are a pair of chunky black knee high boots that seem to stand out amidst the rest of the outfit. His voice is energetic and chipper, yet a bit gruff and  loud. He talks really fast and has a sharp Osakan accent (despite the fact that he claims to be from Kanto) that makes it a bit difficult to tell what he’s saying.

Ichigo's Notes: I've only ever heard of the Dreamcatcher's endeavors in the news. And while I'd absolutely love to hear all about its adventures from the captain himself, his injury... might cause problems. I've seen and experienced injuries before, but never a stab wound. He looks he's in good hands with Naomi, though, so I can only wish for a speedy recovery...

 

**Student 074014 - Taiyou Yazawa**

Name: Taiyou Yazawa

Talent: Gardener

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: May 28th (Gemini)

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 238 lbs

Likes: Sunshine, Greenhouses, Orange

Dislikes: Snowstorms, Construction, Rabbits

Status: ALIVE

A girl from a farm town who lives her life surrounded by flowers. Taiyou is known for going big when it comes to planting, as she has single handedly grown some of the largest flowers in the world, and currently holds the world record for the largest sunflowers in history. She’s known for taking exceptional care of her many types of flowers and plants, and some have even said that she’s been able to extend the life span of many of them, baffling scientists. While she won’t reveal exactly how she does it, she has done many interviews offering tips on plant care and management for beginners and experts alike, and these tips are reportedly even being made into a book.

— An extremely tall and muscular girl. Her hair is bright orange and it flips outwards on either side and at the back, and a straw hat with a red ribbon that’s almost too small for her sits on top of her head. She wears a checkered gingham shirt with the sleeves rolled up under a pair of gently used blue denim overalls. There’s a pocket sewn to the chest of said overalls, and she wears a (currently empty) brown tool belt on her hips. On her feet are a pair of black boots that still have dried up mud stains on them. Her voice is somewhat gruff, but it’s very warm and hearty.

Ichigo's Notes: She's... big. In more ways than one. Obviously she's a giant compared to everyone else under 5'10", but she has a big heart, big smile, big and bright personality, and... big plants, apparently. _Really_ big plants. Really big plants that I may have actually heard of, but I just never knew or didn't remember it was her that grew them. And, also... the nicknames are still pretty cute, ehehe.

 

**Student ID 074004 - Yuu Sasaki**

Name: Yuu Sasaki

Talent: Party Planner

Age: 18

Gender: Cis Female (She/Her)

Birthday: February 21st (Aquarius)

Height: 5’2”

Weight: 123 lbs

Likes: Balloons, Pastel Colors, Heavy Metal

Dislikes: The Dark, Most Purples, Not Being Taken Seriously

Status: ALIVE

Ever been to a party or event so fantastic that it can easily be called the best of your life and will probably never leave your memory ever? That party was likely planned and organized by none other than Yuu Sasaki. Starting out as a just mere wedding planner in her prefecture, she was eventually brought into the light after she was asked to plan an after concert party for a famous metal band whose lead guitarist attended one of her weddings. The party was labeled a smash success, and she started receiving offers from high profile brands and celebrities asking for a taste of her work. Known for being able to capture an atmosphere from just a mere synopsis or idea, she’s been praised for her choices in music, decorations, food, and pretty much everything else in between. And although she loves making other people happy with her skills and through her job, her grandest dream is to be able to throw the ultimate party… for herself.

— A short, well built and kind of stocky girl with a strong jaw. Her hair is a bright pink and has been styled into two poofy pigtails. She has pink eyes, and she has pierced both of her eyebrows and her bottom lip. She has pink, heart shaped stud earrings with spikes on them. She wears a pastel pink and blue seifuku with white trimmings, but it’s most definitely been modified. The shirt is ripped and torn at the bottom, and her white stockings are full of holes and tears. She wears light blue mary janes on her feet. Her voice can only be described as cute, yet cacophonic — it’s kinda high and squeaky, but she tends to yell… a lot.

Ichigo's Notes: She seems to be the one that I'm closest with so far. She showed me around, introduced me to everyone, and she was right next to me when Monomage showed up. She's very loud, very proud, and according to this thing, she's even got very big dreams, too! What's _not_ to love about her?? ...Okay, maybe the loud thing's a bit offputting, but other than that...!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that for the report cards for Chapter 1!!

**Author's Note:**

> It'll take me a while to move everything up now from tumblr to here, and I still need to get the report cards updated, but in the meantime, here is a link to the tumblr blog as well as the discord server!! I hope you'll all stay with me as I work on setting up shop!!
> 
> BLOG: https://danganronpa-paradox.tumblr.com/ (note: a lot of the art and writing is old and outdated but i'm working on fixing it for this port!!)  
> DISCORD: https://discordapp.com/invite/QGYQcgg (note: if you were previously a member of the discord server and you find that you've been removed, please do not try to rejoin. thank you!!)
> 
> Thank you for reading!!  
> \- Mads


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